E-book prices higher than p-book prices?

ficbot · 11-11-2008, 12:55 PM

I was doing a little price-checking on the new Nora Roberts J.D. Robb book, which after a week as mobi-only, is finally available at Fictionwise in eReader and MS Reader. I was shocked at how high the price was! To compare:

Publisher price: 25.95
Amazon sale price: 15.57
Fictionwise non-member price: 25.95 ($22.06 after micropay rebate)
Fictionwise club price: 22.06 (18.75 after micropay rebate)
Books on Board price: I think it's 21.93 but I am not familiar with their rebate system

So, the e-version (which has no overheard for storage, shipping, materials for its physical production etc.) at its cheapest price is almost 7 dollars MORE expensive than the dead tree version?

No thanks! I'm still holding out that it will make the Fictionwise 100% micropay deal within a few weeks. Otherwise, I'll go on the library waiting list. What a rip-off!

Alisa · 11-11-2008, 01:00 PM

It's still $14 for the Kindle. I wonder if the price will drop in a few weeks.

desertgrandma · 11-11-2008, 01:05 PM

It will drop. They all have in the past. The more popular an author, the longer it will stay high, I'm sure to get those who don't care about the price, to buy.

rhadin · 11-11-2008, 01:43 PM

If the book is Salvation in Death, Sony's price is $11.99.

EricWiz · 11-11-2008, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ficbot

...

So, the e-version (which has no overheard for storage, shipping, materials for its physical production etc.) at its cheapest price is almost 7 dollars MORE expensive than the dead tree version?

No thanks! I'm still holding out that it will make the Fictionwise 100% micropay deal within a few weeks. Otherwise, I'll go on the library waiting list. What a rip-off!

I think it is crazy!! If you add to that the fact that, with DRM, you can't even handyour copy to a friend when you are done. At least not legally. I think the e-version should always be 40-50 percent cheaper then the pbook. There is absurdly little overhead with electronic version.

I hope more and more publishers and sellers will follow the baen model of non-DRM and reasonable prices.

Eric

FizzyWater · 11-11-2008, 03:48 PM

This is one of the ways I think Fictionwise is hurting its own interests. The book was available as Mobipocket only the first week. The discount/micropay rebate combination was best that week.

A full week later (and it's often longer), the book is available in the eReader format (which is owned by Fictionwise), but costs much more.

If Fictionwise wants more people to buy books in its own format, they should treat each "format" as a new release. I've made the difficult choice to buy the Mobi book over the eReader one, because the savings is significant enough, even though I much prefer eReader, if given a choice.

CleverClothe · 11-11-2008, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FizzyWater

This is one of the ways I think Fictionwise is hurting its own interests. The book was available as Mobipocket only the first week. The discount/micropay rebate combination was best that week.

A full week later (and it's often longer), the book is available in the eReader format (which is owned by Fictionwise), but costs much more.

If Fictionwise wants more people to buy books in its own format, they should treat each "format" as a new release. I've made the difficult choice to buy the Mobi book over the eReader one, because the savings is significant enough, even though I much prefer eReader, if given a choice.

Except, Fictionwise wants all the formats to be the same list price and discount (except for the general eReader discount).

Right now we have to deal with some publishers that really don't understand the eBook market and what it should be.

HarryT · 11-12-2008, 04:13 AM

I don't think the FW store software allows for different prices for different formats, as (for example) the BoB store does. That appears to be the reason that FW sometimes don't sell books in specific formats even when that format is available elsewhere, if it's more expensive than the formats they are currently selling that book in.

astra · 11-12-2008, 05:10 AM

There is only ebook shop with decent prices. It is Kindle store, the rest is rubbish.

Fictionwise:
Kushiel's Chosen [Secure eReader (recommended)/Mobipocket]

Code:

                                Regular 	  		  	Club
You Pay:  	          $27.95      	      	  	  $23.76
Micropay Rebate:  	15% 	  		  	        15%
Cost After Rebate:  $23.76 	  		$20.20

vs. Kindle Price: $7.99

I wrote to FW 2 or 3 months ago about it, it was $9.99 in Kindle store then. 1 week late FW replied something like: We will look into it... Looks like Kindle Store looked into it instead.

Next:
FW:
The Hero of Ages [Mistborn Series Book 3] [Secure Mobipocket]

Code:

  	                      Regular 	  		  Club
You Pay:  	      $27.95 	  		  $23.76
Micropay Rebate:  	15% 	  		  	15%
Cost After Rebate:  $23.76 	  	$20.20

vs. Kindle Price: $9.99

What their excuse is, I don't care. They loose customers. I don't think I am the only one who would refuse to buy ebook for such a price.
Publisher is loosing as well. I go to library, take the book for free, scan it and read it. Please, don't mentioned that writers/publishers receive some "donation" from library scheme. It cannot be as much as if I bought the ebook for $10.

HarryT · 11-12-2008, 05:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by astra

There is only ebook shop with decent prices. It is Kindle store, the rest is rubbish.

Fictionwise:
Kushiel's Chosen [Secure eReader (recommended)/Mobipocket]

Code:

                                Regular 	  		  	Club
You Pay:  	          $27.95      	      	  	  $23.76
Micropay Rebate:  	15% 	  		  	        15%
Cost After Rebate:  $23.76 	  		$20.20

vs. Kindle Price: $7.99

I wrote to FW 2 or 3 months ago about it, it was $9.99 in Kindle store then. 1 week late FW replied something like: We will look into it... Looks like Kindle Store looked into it instead.

Next:
FW:
The Hero of Ages [Mistborn Series Book 3] [Secure Mobipocket]

Code:

  	                      Regular 	  		  Club
You Pay:  	      $27.95 	  		  $23.76
Micropay Rebate:  	15% 	  		  	15%
Cost After Rebate:  $23.76 	  	$20.20

vs. Kindle Price: $9.99

What their excuse is, I don't care. They loose customers. I don't think I am the only one who would refuse to buy ebook for such a price.
Publisher is loosing as well. I go to library, take the book for free, scan it and read it. Please, don't mentioned that writers/publishers receive some "donation" from library scheme. It cannot be as much as if I bought the ebook for $10.

You cannot compare the "legal" price of an eBook with "scanning it for free", which is illegal in the UK (even if you've bought the book).

If you think the price is too high, the answer is simple: don't buy it. There will always be other books to read.

astra · 11-12-2008, 06:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

You cannot compare the "legal" price of an eBook with "scanning it for free", which is illegal in the UK (even if you've bought the book).

If you think the price is too high, the answer is simple: don't buy it. There will always be other books to read.

That's the point.
Publishers and writers are loosing when they behave like that.

HarryT · 11-12-2008, 06:06 AM

But it's their choice to do so - it's a free market. If I am an author, I have a perfect right to set the price at whatever I wish. You may think that the price is too high but, whether you may think, the choice is the author's or publisher's to make. The fact that someone considers the price to be too high doesn't give them a "right" to take it illegally.

astra · 11-12-2008, 06:08 AM

All true, the question still remains: Who is loosing?

astra · 11-12-2008, 06:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

You cannot compare the "legal" price of an eBook with "scanning it for free", which is illegal in the UK (even if you've bought the book).

If you think the price is too high, the answer is simple: don't buy it. There will always be other books to read.

Btw., why should I care?
People who owe CDs, convert them to MP3s, which is illegal in the UK. They don't care.
Why should I?

HarryT · 11-12-2008, 06:17 AM

I'm not saying that you should care; I'm simply pointing out that it's illegal. I do think personally, however, that there's a considerable "moral" difference between ripping a CD that you're bought and scanning a library book, but we've had that discussion a thousand times before - there's really no point in re-hashing it all over again, is there?

11-11-2008, 12:55 PM	#1
ficbot Wizard Posts: 2,409 Karma: 4132096 Join Date: Sep 2008 Device: Kindle Paperwhite/iOS Kindle App	E-book prices higher than p-book prices? I was doing a little price-checking on the new Nora Roberts J.D. Robb book, which after a week as mobi-only, is finally available at Fictionwise in eReader and MS Reader. I was shocked at how high the price was! To compare: Publisher price: 25.95 Amazon sale price: 15.57 Fictionwise non-member price: 25.95 ($22.06 after micropay rebate) Fictionwise club price: 22.06 (18.75 after micropay rebate) Books on Board price: I think it's 21.93 but I am not familiar with their rebate system So, the e-version (which has no overheard for storage, shipping, materials for its physical production etc.) at its cheapest price is almost 7 dollars MORE expensive than the dead tree version? No thanks! I'm still holding out that it will make the Fictionwise 100% micropay deal within a few weeks. Otherwise, I'll go on the library waiting list. What a rip-off!

11-12-2008, 05:10 AM	#9
astra The Introvert Posts: 8,307 Karma: 1000077497 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: United Kingdom Device: Sony Reader PRS-650 & 505 & 500	There is only ebook shop with decent prices. It is Kindle store, the rest is rubbish. Fictionwise: Kushiel's Chosen [Secure eReader (recommended)/Mobipocket] Code: Regular Club You Pay: $27.95 $23.76 Micropay Rebate: 15% 15% Cost After Rebate: $23.76 $20.20 vs. Kindle Price: $7.99 I wrote to FW 2 or 3 months ago about it, it was $9.99 in Kindle store then. 1 week late FW replied something like: We will look into it... Looks like Kindle Store looked into it instead. Next: FW: The Hero of Ages [Mistborn Series Book 3] [Secure Mobipocket] Code: Regular Club You Pay: $27.95 $23.76 Micropay Rebate: 15% 15% Cost After Rebate: $23.76 $20.20 vs. Kindle Price: $9.99 What their excuse is, I don't care. They loose customers. I don't think I am the only one who would refuse to buy ebook for such a price. Publisher is loosing as well. I go to library, take the book for free, scan it and read it. Please, don't mentioned that writers/publishers receive some "donation" from library scheme. It cannot be as much as if I bought the ebook for $10. Last edited by astra; 11-12-2008 at 05:14 AM.

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11-11-2008, 01:00 PM	#2
Alisa Gadget Geek Posts: 2,324 Karma: 22221 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Paperwhite, Kindle 3 (retired), Skindle 1.2 (retired)	It's still $14 for the Kindle. I wonder if the price will drop in a few weeks.

11-11-2008, 01:05 PM	#3
desertgrandma Enjoying the show.... Posts: 14,270 Karma: 10462841 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Arizona Device: A K1, Kindle Paperwhite, an Ipod, IPad2, Iphone, an Ipad Mini & macAir	It will drop. They all have in the past. The more popular an author, the longer it will stay high, I'm sure to get those who don't care about the price, to buy.

11-11-2008, 01:43 PM	#4
rhadin Literacy = Understanding Posts: 4,833 Karma: 59674358 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: The World of Books Device: Nook, Nook Tablet	If the book is Salvation in Death, Sony's price is $11.99.

11-11-2008, 03:48 PM	#6
FizzyWater You kids get off my lawn! Posts: 4,220 Karma: 73492664 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Columbus, Ohio Device: Oasis 2 and Libra H2O and half a dozen older models I can't let go of	This is one of the ways I think Fictionwise is hurting its own interests. The book was available as Mobipocket only the first week. The discount/micropay rebate combination was best that week. A full week later (and it's often longer), the book is available in the eReader format (which is owned by Fictionwise), but costs much more. If Fictionwise wants more people to buy books in its own format, they should treat each "format" as a new release. I've made the difficult choice to buy the Mobi book over the eReader one, because the savings is significant enough, even though I much prefer eReader, if given a choice.

11-12-2008, 04:13 AM	#8
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I don't think the FW store software allows for different prices for different formats, as (for example) the BoB store does. That appears to be the reason that FW sometimes don't sell books in specific formats even when that format is available elsewhere, if it's more expensive than the formats they are currently selling that book in.

11-12-2008, 06:06 AM	#12
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	But it's their choice to do so - it's a free market. If I am an author, I have a perfect right to set the price at whatever I wish. You may think that the price is too high but, whether you may think, the choice is the author's or publisher's to make. The fact that someone considers the price to be too high doesn't give them a "right" to take it illegally.

11-12-2008, 06:08 AM	#13
astra The Introvert Posts: 8,307 Karma: 1000077497 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: United Kingdom Device: Sony Reader PRS-650 & 505 & 500	All true, the question still remains: Who is loosing?

11-12-2008, 06:17 AM	#15
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I'm not saying that you should care; I'm simply pointing out that it's illegal. I do think personally, however, that there's a considerable "moral" difference between ripping a CD that you're bought and scanning a library book, but we've had that discussion a thousand times before - there's really no point in re-hashing it all over again, is there?

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